
• i-'L * ■ 

, - t-’.-ij-f, 

j . •■ • 1 


[ 




J Tlr > . * , L ■ 1 5 ► ■ 






p*f 








V 

t 




' ♦ 


» 



s 


I- 


I 





% 


i 



r 


0 



{ 


s L 

’ f ’ 




X/' 



V. 


V 





/ 

; 


< 




f • 






\ 




STORIES OF 

THE RED CHILDREN 

BY 

DOROTHY BROOKS 

1 ' 

WITH ILLUSTRATIONS BY LOUISE E. NORRIS 


REVISED EDITION 


EDUCATIONAL PUBLISHING COMPANY 
BOSTON 

New York Chicago San Francisco 



rUBHARY of C0K6RESS 
Ywo Copies rtectividJ ' 

FEB 24ia08 



Copyright, 1898 

BY 

EDUCATIONAL PUBLISHING COMPANY 


Copyright, 1908 
BY 

EDUCATIONAL PUBLISHING COMPANY 


CONTENTS. 


Pag* 

Stories of the Red Children 7 

Winds 11 

North Wind and the Duck 21 

Lightning 33 

South Wind and the Dandelion .39 

Young Hunter . . . , 43 

Morning Star , 49 

Wandering Star (Will-o’-the-Wisp) 65 

Winter and Spring 63 

Star that became a Lily . . . . . . . . . 75 

Little Red Plume 85 

Robin Redbreast . , . 95 

How the Rain comes . . ’ 109 

Rainbow • 119 

Brave little Mole 125 

How the Patient Worm saved the Children 143 

How the Summer came 162 






STORIES OF THE RED CHILDREN. 


Once there were only little 
Red children in onr land. 

That was before the white 
people came to this country. 

These little Red children 
were the Indian children. 


STORIES OF THE RED CHILDREN. 


There are a few of them in 
this country now. 

Most of them live out in the 
far West. 

They have little villages of 
their ov^n. 

They do not like to live in 
cities as we do. 

These little Red children 
used to tell each other very 
beautiful stories. 

They were as pretty as fairy 
stories. 


The little Red children 


STORIES OF THE RED CHILDREN. 


9 


loved the sun and the moon 
and the stars. 

They called the winds their 
brothers. 

They loved the trees and the 
flowers. 

They loved the shining 
rivers and the high hills. 

They talked to the rivers 
and the hills; and they be- 
lieved that the rivers and the 
hills knew what was said to 
them. 

When the little Bed children 


10 


STORIES OF THE RED CHILDREN. 


were happy, they believed the 
bright flowers were happy, too. 

And when the little Ked 
children were sad, they be- 
lieved the winds were sorry 
for them. 



THE WINDS. 


Wabun was the East Wind. 

He was always young and 
beautiful. 

It was the East Wind that 
brought the morning. 

He chased the darkness down 
the valley. 

He shot his silver arrows 


after it. 


11 



“HE CALLED THE DEER.” 


STORIES OF THE RED CHILDREN. 


13 


He painted the morning 
clouds. 

He called the deer and 

the hunter from their sleep. 

Kabeyun was the West 
Wind. 

He was strong and powerful. 

He could drive away the 

heavy water-laden clouds of 

the South. 

He could drive away the 

cold clouds of the North. 

The little Red children loved 
the West Wind; for when he 
came the sun came, and the 



“HE DWELT IN THE SOUTH, WHERE IT WAS ALWAYS SUMMER. 




STORIES OF THE RED CHILDREN. 


IS 


blue sky smiled down upon 
the fields. 

The South Wind was dreamy 
and drowsy. 

He dwelt in the South, where 
it was always summer. 

The robins and the bluebirds 
loved the South Wind, and 
fled to it for protection. 

There were purple grapes 
and rich yellow melons in the 
home of the South Wind. 

There were great trees and 
heavy hanging vines. 

Sometimes the South Wind 


16 


STORIES OF THE RED CHILDREN. 


would sit benegith the vines 
and smoke his pipe of peace. 

Then the smoke would roll 
northward and fill the air with 
soft, warm, yellow haze. 

The smoke would settle 
lovingly over the rugged hills 
and make them beautiful. 

Then the little Red children 
would say, “ See how soft the air 
is! It is Indian summer now.” 

The North Wind came from 
his lodge, amid the snowdrifts. 

His home was among the 
icebergs. 



wmsmmm 

mmmmu 






«i 


THE NORTH WIND 



la STORIES OF THE RED CHILDREN. 

His long hair was sprinkled 
with snowflakes. 

He liked to run howling and 
shrieking down the valleys. 

He heaped up the crusted 
snowdrifts. 

He covered the lakes and 
rivers with a little roof of ice. 

He liked to send the snow- 
flakes flying through the air. 

He liked to hear them whiz, 
through the forests. 

He liked to drive the curlews 
to their nests among the sedges. 



20 


STOHIKS OF THE RED CHILDREN. 


And all these winds the little 
Red children loved; tor they 
were brothers. 

Which one did the children 
like best? 

They liked them all best; for 
the East Wind brought the 
daylight; the West Wind 
brought the blue sky ; the 
South Wind brought the sum- 
mer with its fruits and flowers ; 
and the North Wind brought 
the winter with its sparkling 
snow and ice. 



THE NORTH WIND AND THE DUCK. 

A brave little duck lived 
beside a lake. 

He li ved in a poor little hut; 
and he had only four logs of 
wood. 

“Four logs is enough,” the 
little duck said; “for each one 
will last a whole month. 

And there are only fonr cold 
months in the year.” 

n 


I 


N 



4 ( 




I WILL FREEZE OVER THE WATERS 


STORIES OF THE RED CHILDREN. 


23 


So the little duck was cheer- 
ful, even if the winter was 
bitter cold. 

ISTo day was to him too cold. 

Never did he mind the 
shrieking of the North Wind. 

“I will freeze over the waters,” 
said the North Wind; “we will 
see how the little duck will 
like that!” 

So one morning, when the 
duck went down to the water, 
he could catch no fish for his 
breakfast. 


■wm. 



STORPES OF THE RED CHILDREN. 


25 


“What shall I do!” thought 
the little duck. 

“Ha! ha! ha!” laughed the 
iSTorth Wind; “what will you 
do!” 

“O, it is you, is it?” said the 
duck. 

“You are playing a game on 
me.” 

Then the duck walked out 
onto the ice. 

He pulled the rushes that 
grew up through the ice. 

Then he put his bill down 



STORIES OF THE RED CHILDREN. 


27 


through the holes in the ice 
and caught some tiny tish. 

“That’s a brave little duck,” 
said the North Wind; “but I 
will catch her yet.” 

So, then, the cold North Wind 
crept up to the little duck’s 
hut. He crept close up to her 
door. 

The little duck knew he was 
there, for she felt his cold 
breath. . 

So she began to sing, as 
cheerily as a little duck could. 


28 


STORIES OF THE RED CHILDREN. 


•‘ Cold North Wind, 

I know your plan ; 

You are but my brother man. 

Blow you may 

Your loudest breej^e, 

This little duck 

You cannot freeze.” 

“ I wonder if the little duck 
knows I am here,” thought the 
North Wind. 

“ How does she dare laugh at 
me and sing about me!” 

But the little duck sang 
bravely on. 

“I will not allow this little 


STORIES OF THE RED CHILDREN. 


29 


duck to laugh at me,’’ said the 
North Wind. 

‘M. will make her feel my 
power.” 

So, then, the North Wind 
crept into the hut and sat 
himself down beside the fire. 

The little duck knew he was 
there; so she stirred the fire 
till the flames leaped high. 

The little hut grew hotter 
and hotter. 

The North Wind blew and 
blew; and the little duck sang 
and sang: 


30 


STORIES OF THE RED CHILDREN. 


“Cold North Wind, 

I know your plan ; 

Blow you may 
Your loudest breeze; 

This little duck 
You cannot freeze.” 

By and by, the North Wind 
began to grow still. 

It was so warm in the hut 
he could not breathe. 

The snow upon his haii- 
began to melt. 

The icicles on his crown 
began to drip. 


STORIES OF THE RED CHILDREN. 


31 


The wet tears poured down 
his face. 

“I cannot hear this fire!’* he 
said; and then he crept out of 
the hut, and went away far to 
the JSTorth, where he could get 
cool again. 

The little duck laughed to 
herself, when he had gone. 

“That is a strange, little 
duck,” the Korth Wind said. 


“How brave she is!” 




#//« la 

■ /•#« k A 


€ 

1 ff l< 






















THE LIGHTNING. 

Once a little Indian boy was 
all alone in the dark forest. 

It was night, and he was 
afraid. 

There were bears in the 
forest. 

He crept up into a pine tree 
and went to sleep. 

A voice ca.me to him and 


34 


STORIES OF THE RED CHILDREN. 


said, “ Come with me, little boy, 
up among the clouds.” 

Then a strong wind lifted 
the child and carried him high 
up into the skies. 

There was a beautiful palace 
among the clouds; and there 
were brave sachems in the 
palace. 

They gave the little Red boy 
twelve silver arrows. 

“ Go and shoot the wicked 
manitos,” said the sachems. 

“They dwell far away in the 
northern sky.” 




S6 


STORIES OF THE RED CHILDREN. 


The little boy set out with 
arrows into the land of the 
manitos. 

He shot his arrows at them ; 
but not one of the manitos 
was hurt. 

As soon as they saw the 
arrows coming, they changed 
themselves into rocks and 
stones. 

Now the little boy had only 
one arrow left. 

“I must not fail with this,” 
he said. 

So he took very careful aim ; 


STORIES OF THE RED CHILDREN. 


37 


and the arrow lodged in the 
heart of a mountain. 

Then the boy tnrned to go 
back to the cloud palace. 

“Do you think we will let 
you go?” cried the manitos. 

“hlo, no, no! We will punish 
you! You shall be an arrow 
yourself ! Y ou shall shoot 
through the air ! Z-z-z-z-z ! ” 
And the little boy found 
himself changed by the man- 
itos into a flash of lightning. 

And to this day, now and 
then, we see him — flashing 
across the northern sky. 



“ THE SOUTH WIND WAS SWINGING IN HIS SOFT CLOUDLETS 




ACROSS THE SOUTHERN SKY 




THE SOUTH WIND AND THE DANDELION. 

The South Wind was swing- 
ing in his soft cloudlets across 
the southern sky. 

He looked towards the north. 

There he saw a great, green 
field. 

In the field among the 
grasses were bright golden 
flowers. 


40 


STdKlES OF THE RED CHILlJKEFi. 


“O, beautiful flowers,” he 
said, “ I wish I were beside 
you, and could touch your 
golden crowns.” 



But the South Wind was 
lazy, and the days flew hy. 


One morning the South 
Wind looked again. 

“I will go to the beautiful 
flowers to-day,” he said. 


STORIES OF THE RED CHILDREN. 


41 


But, lo! a great change had 
come upon the flowers. 

Their crowns had become 
silver white. 

“Now that is sad,” said the 
South Wind. “Has my brother, 
the North Wind, been scatter- 
ing his snows upon these 
beautiful flowers?” 

And the South Wind sighed 
and sighed. 

His sighs swept across the 
field. 

Then another change came 
upon the dandelion crowns. 


42 


STORIES OF THE RED CHILDREN. 


The air was filled with little 
white feathei’s. 

They flew hither and thither 
through the air. 

“See the dandelion seed!” 
said the children. 

“They are searching for a 
place to sleep! ” 

“And see how the South 
Wind is helping them!” 

“That is very strange,” said 
the South Wind. “What can 
those little Red children 
mean?” 



THE YOUNG HUNTER. 

One little Red child loved 
the stars. 

He loved them more than 
did his brothers. 

At snnset he would run up 
into the hills to see the stars 
come ont. 

There was one star he loved 
most of all. 

He called it always “My 


iS 


Star Beantifnl.” 


44 


STORIES OF THE RED CHILDREN. 


Sometimes there would be 
clouds in the evening sky, and 
the little Red child could not 
see the star. 

Then he would say, “Good 
West Wind, please drive the 
clouds away, that I may see 
my star.” 

And the West Wind always 
heard the little boy’s cry. 

By and by, the star Avhis- 
pered kind words through the 
summer air to the little child. 

“You shall be a great 
hunter,” the star said; “for I 




46 


STORIES OF THE RED CHILDREN. 


will guide you to the places 
where the deer hide.” 

By and by, the star whis- 
pered to the little Red child 
again, and said, “You are a tall, 
brave youth nowy and I will 
make you the wisest of all 
your people.” 

Then the people loved the 
youth, and came to him for 
wisdom. 

Never did he guide them 
wrong; never did they fail 
in what he bid them do. 


STORIES OF THE RED CHILDREN. 


47 


“He is a wonderful brave,” 
the people said. 

But the youth said, “No, it 
is my Star Beautiful that 
makes me wise.” 

After a long time the youth 
became an old, old man. 

“He cannot live,” the people 
whispered. 

“I shall go now to my star,” 
the old man said. 

Then the sunset hour had 
come, and the star shone out 
again. 


48 


STORIES OF THE BED CHiLDREN. 


The old man smiled to see 
the star. 



“It is my Star Beautiful,” 
he said, “ and it called me as it 
did when I was a little child.” 


Then the old man closed his 
eyes; and went away to join 
his own Star Beautiful. 



THE MORNING STAR. 

Two little Red children, a 
brother and sister, played 
along the river banks. 

They were happy little chil- 
dren, and they played from 
morning till night. 

But one day, a Manito came 
to them. 

It said, “Little hoy, yon 
must go now to dwell npon 

49 


» 



“ YOU MUST GUIDE THE MOUNTAIN STREAMS.” 









STORIES OF THE RED CHILDREN. 


51 


tlie mountains. Yon must 
take jour place far up in the 
hill tops among the trees. 

“You must sing to the rivers 
and the brooklets. You must 
guide the mountain streams 
and help them to find the 
oceans.” 

And to the little sister the 
Manito said, “You must go 
to the place of Breaking Light. 
You must make a palace for 
yourself among the morning 
clouds. You must be the 
Morning Star.” 



“ TWO LITTLB RED CHILDRBK. 




STORIES OF THE RED CHILDREN. 


65 


So the little brother and 
sister bade each other good-by. 

The brother cut a castle for 
himself from the grey rock. 

The sister made a palace for 
herself from the morning 
clouds. 

Every morning the brother 
watched from his castle for 
the coming of his sister — the 
shining Morning Star. 

And every morning the sis- 
ter hurried up from the waters 
to greet her brother in the 
mountains. 


54 


STORIES OF THE RED CHILDREN. 


But when the sun came, 
then the sister would hide her 
light, 

“Good-hy, brother,” she 
would say, “I will come 
again.” 

And the brother would say, 
“Good-by, sister, for a little 
time. I will watch on the 
mountain top till you come 
again ” 


THE WANDERING STAR. 


(THE WILL-O’-THE-WISP.) 

A little star lost its way in 
the mist. 

It wandered down toward 
the home of the Red children. 

The people saw it coming 
down through the air. 

“Run, run to your caves,” 
they cried, “it is a manito! 
It means to burn our wig- 
wams! It means to burn our 


66 



A LITTLE STAR LOST ITS WAY IN THE MIST." 



STORIES OF THE RED CHILDREN. 


57 


wigwams! It means to burn 
our fields ! ” 

The bright little star was 
grieved to hear the people say 
these things; for it meant to 
do no harm. 

For a long time the star wan- 
dered up and down the valleys. 

Sometimes it would come 
and stand before the camp- 
fires. 

Sometimes it would lift itself 
above the hunter’s wigwam; 
but the people were afraid. 


STORIES OF THE RED CHILDREN. 


Whenever they saw the star 
they were afraid; and the star 
was very lonely. 

By and by, a little child 
came to live among the Bed 
children. 

And when she saw the star, 
she stretched her little hands 
out towards it. 

She laughed and called to 
the star. “ O come, come to me, 
my beautiful star!” she said. 

Then the star was glad; for 
now he had a playmate among 
the Bed children. 


STORIES OF THE RED CHILDREN. 


59 


By and by, the little child 
grew to be a maiden, tall and 
beautiful. 

And one day she wandered 
far down into the valley and 
lost her way. i 

Then a great storm came. 
The clouds grew black. The 
sun was hidden. 

There was a swamp at the 
foot of the valley. It was a 
treacherous swamp. And it 
called to the maiden, “Come, 
come!” 



“ SHB GREW TO BE A MAIDEN. 


II 











STORIES OF THE RED CHILDREN. 


61 


And the maiden came. 
Down, down, deeper and deeper 
she sank into the black waters 
of the swamp. 

By and by, the green grasses 
closed over her, and no one 
ever saw her again. 

Some say the winds caught 
her up and carried her away 
to the cloud palaces; some say 
the manitos bore her away to 
their home in the North. 

The little Eed children do 
not know; but the wandering 


62 


STORIES OF THE RED CHILDREN. 


star knew. And to this day it 
hovers over the marshy place 
at night and watches. 

Perhaps it watches for the 
maiden to come hack. 

Some of the Red children 
believe her spirit does come 
back when the summer nights 
are long. 

Por then it is the hunters see 
the star she loved, hovering 
over the marsh where the 
maiden disappeared. 


WINTER AND SPRING. 


Old Winter sat all alone in 
his hnt. It was a cold, little 
hnt, and it stood beside a frozen 
river. 

The wnnds were howling and 
shrieking, and the flowers had 
hid themselves away in the 
earth. 

Even the big round sun had 
crept away towards the south, 
for he did not like Old Winter 
and the north. 



“ah! you hav®; come, good springtime 


STOKIES OF THE RED CHILDREN. 


65 


One morning Old Winter 
heard a gentle step at his door; 
a soft perfume came in upon 
the air. 

“Ah! you have come, good 
Spring-time,” Old Winter said, 

“Come in, the Red children 
will be glad you have come. 
Sit down and let us talk 
together. 

“I shall have to creep away 
to my own home very soon, 
now that you have come. 

“You have never seen my 
home. It is very beautiful, I 


66 


STOKIES OF THE RED CHILDREN. 


think, and it is white and 
shining. 

“The waters have a beantifnl, 
sparkling roof over them. It 
is smooth, and one can see the 
water underneath sometimes; 
and when the sun looks upon 
it, it shines like silver.” 

“Of course it is beautiful/’ 
said the Spring, “but I like 
mine better. There is no spark- 
ling snows there; but we have 
sparkling waters. 

“There are green leaves on 



66 


STORIES OF THE RED CHILDREN. 


the trees and the fields are full 
of flowers. 

“When the soft wind comes, 
then the waters dance, and the 
grasses bend before it.” 

“But I have great power,” 
Old Winter said, “for when I 
breathe, the rivers and the 
whole earth harden, and I 
change to stone. 

“If I shake my long white 
locks of hair, then the earth is 
covered y/'ith glistening snow- 
flakes. The leaves drop from 


STORIES OF THE RED CHILDREN. 


69 


the trees and the flowers dis- 
appear.” 

“I, too, have power,” said 
the Spring, 

“My voice is not very loud, 
but when I whisper all the 
trees and the flowers hear 
me, though they are fast 
asleep. 

“ When I breathe the grasses 
spring np and all the flowers 
burst forth to greet me. 

“I shake my golden hair, 
and soft showers fall upon the 




STORIES OP THE RED CHILDREN. 


71 


earth. The raindrops help the 
flowers and grasses to come ont 
into the sunlight; and the 
hearts of the Red Children arS 
fnll of joy.” 

But already the sun had 
begun to creep back towards 
the north. He thought he 
heard the voice of Spring and 
was coming to see. 

He felt the softness in the 
air, and he smelled the sweet- 
ness. 

The birds, too, thought they 
heard the voice of Spring, so 


72 


STORIES OF THE RED CHILDREN. 


they came and perched upon 
the roof of Old AVinter’s hut. 

The rivers, too, had heard 
their name called; and already 
they were beginning to dance 
and sparkle. 

There was a sweet odor, like 
new grass in the hut; then Old 
Winter began to grow very 
still. “I am sleepy,” he said. 

By and by, the water dripped 
from his long, white hair, he 
grew very, very small and very, 
very weak; until at last no 
sign of Winter was left; and on 


STORIES OF THE RED CHILDREN. 


7« 

the floor of the hut where he 
had sat, sprang up a beautiful, 
pink flower. 

“It is the Spring Beauty!” 
the Red children say, and 
when they see it they rejoice; 
for they know that Old Win- 
ter has crept away to his home, 
and that Spring has come to 
dwell in his place. 










■wf.w; 


rlVvj^y’i^i -/o '■ 








•TftVi 


» 


“SO ONE NIGHT THE STAR SHOT DOWN, DOWN 



THE STAR THAT BECAME A LILY. 

Once a beautiful star came 
down to earth. For a long time 
it had watched the children at 
play in the green fields, and 
the star said, “I love those 
little Red children, I would 
like to go down and live with 
them.” 


7 $ 


76 


STORIES OF THE RED CHILDREN. 


So one night the star shot 
down, down, ’till at last it 
stood out upon a big plain. 

The people in the wigwam, 
village saw it, and ran to look 
at it. 

“ I have come, O good people,” 
said the star, “to dwell with 
yon on the earth. 

“I love to watch yon in yonr 
wigwams. 

“ I love to see yon make yonr 
birch canoes. 

“I love to watch yonr chil- 
dren at their play. 


STORIES OF THE RED CHILDREN. 


77 


“Tell me, then, where I may 
dwell? 

“It must be where I can see 
you all, and where at night I 
can look up to my home in 
the skies.” 

Then one chief said: “Dwell 
here upon the mountain top; 
where you can overlook the 
plain. 

The clouds will come down 
and rest upon the high peaks, 
and each morning you may 
greet the sun.” 



“AT NIGHT THE STARS SHONE DOWN INTO ITS WATERS." 




8T0RIES OF THE RED CHILDREN. 


79 


“Dwell here upon the hill- 
sides,” said another chief, “for 
there the flowers grow bright- 
est, and the sun is warmest.” 

“Dwell in the forests,” said a 
third chief, “for there the sweet 
violets grow, and the air is 
cool, and the smell of spruce is 
in the air.” 

But the star thought the 
mountain was too far away, as 
it could not see the children 
from such a height, and it was 
they it wanted to be near. 


80 


STORIES OF THE RED CHILDREN. 


The hillside, too, the star 
thought was far away, and the 
forest, it was sure, was too dark 
and dreary. 

But one day the star saw a 
beautiful little lake. The very 
water was clear, — one could see 
the skies and the clouds in it. 

At night the stars shone 
down into its waters. 

The water was soft and 
warm, and the star was pleased 
to see it ripple and dance. It 
liked to see the sunlight glim- 
mer on the waters. 


STORIES OF THE RED CHILDREN. 


81 


The children loved the lake, 
too; they played all day on 
its banks, and often paddled 
out upon it with their little 
canoes. 

“I will dwell right here,” the 
star said; “for then I can he 
near the children.” 

And so, when the sun had 
set, the star floated down upon 
the waters. 

It sent its rays away down 
beneath the waters; and the 
Red children are sure these 
rays took root. 


STORIES OF THE RED CHILDREN. 


St 

Perhaps they did; for, sure 
enough, the very next morn- 
ing there was a beautiful lily 
upon the waters. 

Its roots reached away down 
into the rich earth, its petals 
were pure white, and it had a 
heart of rich yellow gold. 

“No flower has a perfume so 
sweet,” the children cried. 

Then they rowed out to look 
at it. 

“It is the star,” the children 
said; “it will dwell with us 
forever, and we will call it the 
Lily Star.” 




84 


STORIES OF THE RED CHILDREN. 


Then the children rowed 
back to the shore. They did 
not pluck the lily, but each 
morning they went to see it. 

“Dear, beautiful lily!” they 
would say. 

By and by it opened wide 
its petals, and the air was 
filled with sweetness. 

Then other lilies grew up 
around it; and after a time 
these water lilies, or Lily Stars, 
as the children called them, 
were floating on the waters of 
the lakes everywhere. 



LITTLE RED PLUME. 

There was 
once a warrior 
chief whom 
every body loved. 
Even his enemies 
i’ loved him, for he was 
never cruel. 

He loved his people ; he 
longed always to bring some 
good to them. 


85 


86 


STORIES OF THE RED CHILDREN. 


This good chief would cure 
the sick. He could fly in the 
air. He could swim in the 
deep waters. The good man- 
itos loved him, and gave hini 
these wonderful gifts. 

One morning he was wan- 
dering through a forest. It 
was very early. 

The sun was only just aris- 
ing, and there was not much 
light. 

“Grood morrow,” said a voice 
at the feet of the chief. 


STORIES OF THE RED CHILDREN. 


The chief looked down. He 
could hardly see who was 
there. 

“Who are you?” he said. 

“I am Mondamin,” said a 
little mail; and he shook his 
funny little red -plumed head 
at the big chief. 

“You are strong, Chief,” the 
little man said. “Tell me 
what makes you so strong?” 

“I am strong only as all men. 
are strong,” said the chief. 

“V^ery well, then, let us 


STORIES OF THE RED CHILDREN. 


8S 

wrestle. If you throw me, cry, 
W a-ge-ne- wa ! W a-ge-ne- w a ! 

And if I throw you, I will 
cry, W a-ge-ne-wa ! W a-ge-n e- 
wa!” 

Then the big, brave chief and 
tiny, little Red Plume wrestled. 

All day long they wrestled, 
for little Red Plume had magic 
strength ; but when the sun 
began to go down, then Red 
Plume’s strength began to fail. 

“ Wa-ge-ne-wa! Wa-ge-ne- 
wa!” cried the big chief, for at 
last Red Plume lay at his feet. 


STORIES OF THE RED CHILDREN. 


89 


The chief stooped to pick up 
his tiny foe. But, lo! there was 
no foe there. Only an ear of 
red corn was there. 

And, indeed, had it not been 
for the same waving red plume, 
the chief would have thought 
the manitos had carried the 
little man away. 

But there he lay, red plume 
and all. 

Then Red Plume spoke : 

‘‘Again, good Chief, you 
shall carry a great gift to 
your people, for I am Mon- 



THE CHIEF LOOKED DOWN.” 


STORIES OF THE RED CHILDREN. 


91 


damin, the friend of the Red 
children. Because yon have 
conquered me, you shall take 
me to them. 

“But first strip off the coat 
that protects me from the 
storms and cold. 

“Then take my kernels and 
scatter them in the rich soil 
hy the riverside. 

“Go away, then, and do not 
come hack till one moon has 
passed. 

“Then I will give you for 
your people, the Gift of Corn.” 


92 


STORIES OF THE RED CHILDREN. 


The chief did as he was told; 
and when he came back, there 
he saw a whole field of tall, 
waving corn, and on each 
plant was a waving plnme; 
and, hid away among the thick 
leaves, was a husk of corn. 

“It is Mondamin!” the chief 
said. 

Then Mondamin spoke again: 

“This is the Gift of Corn, I 
promised. 

“Now go call your people, 
gather all the Red Plumes, 
grind the kernels between 


STOKIES OF THE REB CHILBREN. 


93 


great rocks, and you will have 
then a food that will never 
fail. 

“Some of the kernels you will 
plant again ; then another field 
of corn will rise up, and you 
shall gather it and hide it 
away for the winter’s food.” 

Then the chief called the 
people. 

They all came, the fathers 
and the mothers and the little 
children. 

They gathered the Red 


Si 


STOKIKS OF THE KED CHILDREN. 


Plumes and fed the tall plants 
to the cattle. 

Then they held a great feast, 
and danced and sang songs to 
Mondamin ; for they knew 
now that he was their friend. 

Then they thanked the G-reat 
Spirit, and said: Mondamin, 
the friend of the Red Man! 
Mondamin, the giver of the 
Gift of Corn!” 


ROBIN REDBREAST. 


“It is time, my son, to go 
forth into the forest. 

“Here is the mat your mother 
has made for you. 

“Take it with you into the 
densest part of the forest. 

“Place yourself upon it face 
down; and lie there for twelve 
days and nights. 

“Each morning I will come 
to you, and on the twelfth 
morning I will bring you food. 


96 


STORIES OF THE RED CHILDREN. 


‘‘You are a tall, strong youth 
now. It is time you were a 
warrior. 

“ But first you must prove to 
your people that you are strong 
to endure. 

“When the twelve days of 
fasting are passed, then you 
shall come hack to your tribe. 

“We will hold a great feast 
for you. There shall he music 
and dancing. And the chief 
shall say, ‘ N ow you are a war- 
rior brave.’ ” 

This is what the fathers of 


STORIES OF THE RED CHILDREN. 


97 


the Red children say to theii 
tall boys. 

Each father is very proud 
when his hoy reaches the age 
at which he can go forth to fast. 

The hoy, too, is proud; for 
when the fast is over the 
people honor him. 

But there was one youth 
that went forth to the fasting 
sad of heart. 

“Alas, my father,” he said, 
“I am afraid I shall never he a 
warrior. I am afraid you will 
never be proud of your son.” 


98 


STORIES OF THE RED CHILDREN. 


“Talk not like that,” the 
father said, “hut he brave!” 

Poor boy! he was brave 
enough, but he did not love 
war and bird-shooting. 

He loved the birds too well 
to want to shoot them; and as 
to war, why should he kill 
other youths like himself? 

Still, the boy went forth to 
the forest. He spread out the 
mat his mother had made, and 
stretched himself upon it. 

Each morning the father 
came to see the youth, and 



“MY son! my son!” 


100 


STOKIES OF THE HED CHILDREN. 


each morning the youth rose 
to greet his father. 

But when the tenth morn- 
ing came, he was so weak and 
ill he could not rise. 

“O father,” he said, “take 
me home!” 

“Only two more days, my 
son! Be brave!” And the 
father went away. 

On the eleventh morning 
the father came again. 

The poor hoy could not 
speak; he only raised his hand 
towards his father. 


STORIES OF THE RED CHILDREN. 


101 


“Only one day more, niy 
son! Be brave!” And the 
father went away. 

On the twelfth morning the 
father came again. This time 
he brought food for the boy; 
for this was the day when he 
should be taken back to the 
village. 

All ready the people were 
preparing the feast for him. 
To-day he wonld be a hero. 
His father would give him a 
bow and arrow. 

The warrioi’s would put war 


102 


STORIES OF THE RED CHILDREN. 


paint on his face; then the 
chief would call him a brave 
warrior. 

“Come! come!” the father 
shouted as he entered the 
forest. “To-day you may go 
back to your tribe. Already 
the chief Avaits for you. ” 

But when the father reached 
the place where the boy had 
lain, behold, no one was there! 

“My son! my son!” the 
father cried ; hut all the sound 
he heard was the calling of a 
bird above his head. 






[ 

I 

t 

t 

\ 

I 


r 



104 


STORIKS OF THF RKT) CHILDREN. 


“Some evil manito has stolen 
you away!” the father cried 
again; and he raised his bow 
and arrow as if to shoot the 
manito. 

Then the bird in the bianch 
overhead came down. 

“Do not be angry,” the bird 
said, “no evil manito has 
harmed me; but see! a good 
manito has come, and has 
changed me to a beautiful bird. 
See, my father, what beautiful 
feathers I have; and how large 
and strong I am ! ” 


STORIES OF THE RED CHILDREN. 


106 


Then the father looked, and 
there before him sat a Robin 
Redbreast. 

The first, it was, that had 
ever been seen ! 

“O-pex-chi!” O-pe-che!” the 
father cried, and the bird an- 
swered, “Ohee! Ohee! Ohee!” 

“Do not grieve for me. I 
could not be a brave warrior. 
I did not love war; and so the 
good manito came down, and 
gave me these strong wings 
and these beautiful feathers. 


“Now I shall be happy. Tell 


106 


STORIES OF THE RED CHILDREN. 


the Red children not to shoot 
me; for I love them all, and I 
shall always hover ahont their 
homes. I shall build my nest 
near by; for I love the homes 
of the people rather than the 
dark forests. 

“Now, good-by! Chee! Chee! 
Ohee! Ohee!” 

Then the father went home 
and told his people what had 
happened. 

At first they did not believe 
what he said; but the Robin 


STORIES OF THE RED CHILDREN. 


107 


Redbreast came and alighted 
above the chiefs door. A big, 
strong bird with beautiful red 
feathers, just as the father had 
said. 

“Chee! Ohee! Chee!” the 
bird sang. 

Then the people knew the 
father had spoken the truth, 
for the bird hovered around 
the wigwams; and always 
after called the people in the 
morning, with his joyous 
‘^Chee! Ohee! Ohee!” 




HOW THE RAIN COMES. 


Once the tlowers and the 
grasses were very thirsty. 

‘'Give ns, O Munirva, some 
water! Give us some water or 
we shall die!” 

“Yon shall not die, beantifnl 
flowers,” Mnnirva answered. 

Then he called to Big Sea 
W ater : 


no 


STORIES OF THE RED CHILDREN. 


“Big Sea Water! Big Sea 
Water!” he cried. “Help the 
flowers and the grasses. They 
are very thirsty ; and yon have 
water for them all.” 

So Big Sea Water made a 
dash against the rocks and 
along the shore. 

Over and over again he tried 
to send his water up across the 
fields. 

But each time it fell back; 
and only the flowers and salt 
grasses near the shores had 
been helped. 


STORIES OF THE RED CHILDREN. HI 

Then Munirva called to the 
Rivers: 

“O Rivers! Rivers! the flow- 
ers and the grasses are very 
thirsty. Go and help them, for 
yon have water for them all.” 

Then the rivers tried. They 
raised big waves, and they 
dash id against their banks 
and overflowed them. 

Still only a few of the flow- 
ers and grasses had been 
reached. 

Then Mnnirva called to the 
Lakes : 



STORIES OP THE RED CHILDREN. 


113 


“O Lakes! Lakes!” he' cried; 
“'the flowers and the grasses 
are very thirsty. Go and help 
them. Yon have water for 
them all,” 

Then the Lakes tried. They, 
too, raised big waves. Hardly 
could the white caps on the 
Big Sea Water have looked 
more fierce. 

They dashed and splashed 
upon the shores, and drove 
their waters across the plains. 
But they could reach only a 
little way, and the grasses 


STORIES OF THE RED CHILDREN. 


Hi 

beyond were as dry and thirsty 
as ever. 

“Let me try,” said a big Sea 
Gull. 

So he spread his big, white 
wings and dipped them in the 
waters. 

Then he tlew out across the 
land. lie shook them over 
the fields, and the big drops 
fell down npon the flowers. 

“O thank you, thank you, 
good Sea Gull,” the flowers 
cried. 

But it was only a few of the 



116 


STORIES OF THE RED CHILDREN. 


flowers the Sea Gull could 
reach; and by and by, tired 
out, he sank down in the 
grasses to rest. 

“ O Sea Gull,” cried Munirva, 
“you have shown me a way! 

“Call all the birds in all the 
earth together. They shall 
each one give me a feather 
from their wings. 

“Then I will make one big, 
big wing. 

“It shall reach from sea to 


sea. 


STORIES OF THE RED CHILDREN. 


117 


“ It shall cover the whole 
sky. 

“Then when the flowers are 
thirsty, I will dip it in the 
waters. 

“I will shake it over the 
whole earth, and every flower 
shall taste the water.” 

So Mnnirva made the big 
wing; and when he brushes it 
across the sky and shakes it 
over the plains, then the rains 
fall, and the thirsty flowers 
and grasses lift theii* heads, 
and smile up at Munir va. 


118 


STORIES OF THE RED CHILDREN. 



For he watches over them; 
and sends them always the 
rain that makes them happy. 


THE RED children’s HOME. 




THE RAINBOW. 


When the Great Spirit made 
the Ked children a home, he 
gave them every thing that 
was nsefnl. 

But, by and by, he said; 
“The Red children must have 
beautiful things, too; else they 
will not be gentle. They will 
not love each other.” 


119 


120 


STORIfiS OP THE REt) CHILDREN. 


So then the Great Spirit 
made the flowers. Over all 
the fields he scattered them. 
On the hillsides and and in the 
forest. And he made them of all 
colors, — red, blue, and yellow, 
pnrple and orange and violet. 

All summer long the flow- 
ers made the fields beautiful 
with color, and the air sweet 
with fragrance. 

The Red children were glad 
when the flowers came, and 
they thanked the Good Spirit 
for them. 


STORIES OF THE RED CHILDREN. 


121 


But one morning a change 
came over the earth. 

The ISTorth Wind had come; 
and he had breathed upon the 
sweet flowers. 

“O G-reat Spirit!” cried the 
Red children. 

“See what the ISTorth Wind 
has done! He has blighted 
our beautiful fields, and even 
the grasses are turning brown.” 

Then the Great Spirit said: 
“Grieve not, my children, you 
shall not lose your flowers; for 



“LOOK UP AND SEE 


STORIES OF THE RED CHILDREN. 


123 


I will gather them up into the 
heaven, and when the North 
Wind has gone you shall have 
them back again.” 

Then a gentle rain began to 
shower down upon the earth. 
And a voice from the clouds 
said: “Do not grieve, little Red 
children. Look up and see!” 

Then the Red children 
raised their eyes. 

And Ip! across the sky was 
stretched a band of l)eautiful 
colors. 

“It is the flowers! the flow- 


124 


STORIES OF THE RED CHILDREN. 


ersi” they cried. “All the 
beauty of the flowers, — the 
red, the orange, the blue and 
the purple. 

All are there, and when the 
Spring-time comes again we 
shall have them here upon the 
earth once more.” 

Then the Red children held 
a great feast. They danced 
and they sang. And they 
thanked the kind Good Spirit 
for saving the beauty of the 
flowers from the fierce North 
Wind. 



THE BRAVE LITTLE MOLE. 

Little- Shooter-of-Birds was 
angry at the sun. 

The sun had burned Shooter- 
.of-Bird’s little feather coat. 

Shooter-of-Birds was very 
proud of that coat of feathers. 

It was from the first bird 
that little Shooter-of-Birds had 


126 


•26 


STORIES OF THE RED CHILDREN. 


broug'ht down with his arrow. 

Perhayjs that is why tho snn 
burned it. The snn loved 
the birds, and he was sorry the 
little Red children had not yet 
learned to spare the lives of 
the beantifnl birds; but little 
Shooter-of- Birds was proud 
that he could shoot down 
birds. 

He was a tiny, little boy 
when he brought down his first 
bird, and that is why his 
father named the boy Shooter- 
of-Birds; but when the sun 


STORIES OF THE RED CHILDREN. 


127 


burned the feathered coat, the 
boy was angry. 

‘‘I will shoot the sun!” he 
said; but he found he could 
not do that. 

The sun only smiled to see 
him try. 

“Foolish boy!” the sun said. 

Then Shooter-of-Birds was 
angrier still. 

“You shall yet be sorry,” he 
shouted to the sun; then went 
to his wigwam. 

“ I will catch the sun in a 
trap,” he said. So all night long 



“LITTLE SHOOTER-OF-BIRDS’ WIGAVAM.” 



STORIES OF THE RET> CHILDREN. 


129 


he worked, until at last he had 
made a large, strong trap. 

He crept up in the sky, and 
set it in the track of the sun; 
then tied it with a great cord 
to a mountain top. 

Soon the sun came up from 
the east. His own light 
blinded him, and he could not 
see the trap; so he rolled on 
and on till he rolled straight 
into the trap. 

“Who has done this?” he 
cried. 

“I did it,” shouted the little 



i: jy-^"!^4y”W?>',vV?.Vr V 






• vijv, 

'.vjjifii&ffi 


t VL- t’'y-''i .\-. : 


“BY AND BY. IT GKEXV VERY COLD AND DARK ON THE EARTH.” 


STORIES OF THE RED CHILDREN. 


181 


Shooter-of-Birds, “and I will 
keep yon here forever,” 

“Very well,” said the sun; 
“but I think yon will he very 
sorry by and by.” 

Shooter-of-Birds only 
laughed ; then he went back to 
his wigwam. 

“Why doesn’t the sun come ? ” 
the people began to ask. 

“ Why doesn’t the snn come ? ” 
the animals began to ask. 

But Shooter-of-Birds would 


not tell. 


1S2 


STORIES OF THE RED CHILDREN. 


By and by, it grew very cold 
and dark on the earth. 

The flowers cried for the 
•sunlight, and the grasses cried 
for the warmth. 

The Red people began to 
grow sick and pale. 

The corn would not grow in 
the dark, and the people were 
starving. 

Still little Shooter-of-Birds 
would not tell. He was as 
cruel to his people as he was 
to the birds. 


STORIES OF THE RED CHILDREN. 


133 


At last the animals held a 
conncil. 

“We can not live like this,” 
said the Otter. 

“I am starving,” snarled the 


Wolf. 



“Some one must go in search 
of the sun,” said the Beaver. 

“Let us all go together,” said 
the Beaver. 

So they all started towards 


134 


STORIES OF THE RED CHll^DREN. 


the east. For many days they 
traveled together. 

“It is no use,” said the Bear 
at the end of the tenth day, 
“I am so hungry I shall eat 
you all.” 

WOLF. 

“ And I am hungry, too,” said 
the Wolf. 

Then all the little animals 
ran back afraid. 


“It is no use to go farther,” 


STORIES OF THE RET) CHILDREN. 


135 


said the Beaver; “let us stop 
right here.” 

So they all gave up. All but 
little Mole. 

“I will go on,” he said; “for 
think how the Red children 
need the sun.” 

So the persevering little 
Mole went on. For ten more 
days he traveled. 

At last he saw a little light 
in the distance. 

“That may be the sun,” he 
said. So he hurried forward. 

Sure enough! it was the sun. 


136 


STORIES OF THE RED CHILDREN. 


“O Sun,” the Mole cried, 
“why do yon hide yourself 
from us? Do you not know | 
that the earth is cold and dark | 
without you?” 

“Glad would I be to come,” 
answered the sun. But do you 
not see I am trapped?” 

Then the Mole saw the big 
trap. He saw that Shooter-of- 
Birds had fastened the trap 
with a big cord to the moun- 
tain. 

“If you could only break 
the cord,” said the sun, “then 







^*^:x*-^'):5:5; 




P^ 

■fA^.T«^^rs.^>? 




W&mp^$: 


r 'StoT < •* ‘T 


'^A '.> ■.-'•'V'v 

;^^^v‘3Vv>.:- 


jfflRyir*. />»» t V*f .v.'<«;5-,»_^ *,*.;- i 


•^5;4*»iT*1^c':4>vj A*; ', 

it V?J 'fjr-ri»^i . >*• >--h J>f'- v-j 


i:-r%:t;.*?>r?i*.k?-^?\ 




;.r t'.’^Jft. r..-*'-*. V.. 

.^:*.*.'n;;-A..^*/r • •. • 


! ij/v^ ^ * 





“ ON, ON HE CREPT.” 


138 


STORIES OF THE RED CHILDREN. 


the trap would give way.” 
“I will try,” said the brave, j 
little Mole. 

“I am afraid you can not 
come so near me, little Mole,” 
said the sun. 

“I will try to keep from 
scorching you if I can ; but yon 
know I am very warm. 

“And I will try not to spoil 
your eyes with my strong 
light; but you know I am very 
bright.” 

Then the little Mole crept 
nearer and nearer. If he could 


STORIES OF THE RED CHILDREN. 


139 


only reach the cord and gnaw 
it! 

On* on he crept. The heat 
grew dreadful. 

Still the Mole crept on; his 
back was scorched and his 
eyes were badly burned. 

“1 must go on,” he kept say- 
ing to. himself, “I must go on; 
because the people and the 
animals need the sun.” 

And so the little mole perse- 
vered. 

By and by, he reached the 
cord. How hot' it was! 


140 


STORIES OF THE RED CHILDREN. 


But he gnawed and gnawed; 
till at last the cord broke. 

Then the trap door flew open. 

The sun bounded out, and in 
one minute was away up in 
the sky. 

“Poor earth!” he said, “how 
cold and dry you are!” 

Then he went to work to 
bring back the leaves, the 
grasses and the flowers. 

He filled the air with 
warmth, and sent soft rain- 
drops down to freshen the 
earth. 


STORIES OR THE RED CHILDREN. 


141 


Then the people and the 
animals rejoiced. They loved 
the smell of the sweet air; they 
loved the warmth; and they 
loved to look upon the beauti- 
ful green and the bright 
colored flowers. 

All but the Mole! Poor little 
Mole. He had been so brave! 

But yon see no eyes could 
bear to look so closely upon 
the sun ; and so the little Mole 
was blind. And little Moles 
have been blind always from 
that day to this. 



“THERE IS A HIGH MOUNTAIN AWAY OUT T f THE WEST.” 



HOW THE PATIENT WORM SAVED THE 
CHILDREN. 

There is a high rnountain 
away out in the west. 

It is very high, and its sides 
are very steep. 

This mountain grew np in a 
night, so the Red children say. 

And this is the story as they 
tell it to each other. 


143 


144 


STORIES OF THE RED CHILDREN. 


Once there were two little 
boys who loved to play beside 
the river. All day long they 
played there, and often at 
night they wonld lie down to 
sleep beside the river. 

But one night a strange 
thing happened. 

As soon as the boys were 
asleep, the bank of the river 
began to rise. 

Away up, np it rose, until it 
seemed to reach the clouds. 

The little boys slept soundly. 
All night long they slept; then 


STORIES OF THE RED CHILDREN. 


145 


all the next day and all the 
next night. And all the next, 
and the next they slept; till a 
whole moon had gone by. 

And all this time the moun- 
tain was growing higher and 
higher. At last, one morning 
the hoys awoke. 

“What strange thing has 
happened?” they cried. 

“ Some mischievous manito 
has done this. What shall we 
do?” 

“Do! do! do!” the owls in the 
trees answered. 


146 


ST0RIK8 OF THF RED CHILDREN. 


Then the little boys cried 
out for help. 

They cried to the moon. But 
the light was so dim she could 
not see them. 

Then they cried to the sun; 
but the sun was so far away 
he could not come to them. 

“Call upon the .Rain-drops,” 
said the sun, “they will help 
you, for they can come down 
to you.” 

Then the little boys called 
upon the Rain-drops. 

Down the Rain-drops came, 


STORIES OF THE RED CHILDREN. 


147 


a whole shower of them; and 
the little hoys told them what 
had happened. 

“We will help you,” the 
Rain-drops said. Then they 
trickled down, down through 
the soil till they reached the 
earth. 

“Come, good Otter, and Bear, 
and Fox, and Wolf, and help 
these boys,” they said. 

Then the Otter came. 

“I will try to jump up the 
cliff the Otter said, “for those 


148 


STORIES OF THE RED CHILDREN. 


boys were always kind to the 
beasts of the forest.” 

So the Otter jumped. But 
the mountain was far too high. 

“Let me try,” said the Bear. 
“I growled at those boys once, 
but instead of shooting at me 
they gave me food.” 

So the Bear tried to jump. 
But he was so heavy that he 
could jump only a little way. 

“Let me try,” said the Fox, 
“for once those boys helped me 
out of a trap.” 

So the Fox jumped; he 


STORIES OF THE RED CHILDREN. 


149 


jumped very high; hut, alas, 
he could not reach the top of 
the cliff. 

So all the animals tried; and 
all the animals failed. 

They all sat down and 
looked at the cliff. They were 
sad; hut what could they do! 

Then a little worm crawled 
out from beneath the hush. 

“Let me try,” he said, “for 
once those boys saved my life. 
I was lying across their trail. 
I was sleeping there in the 
sun. They saw me. 


160 


STORIES OF THE RED CHILDREN. 


“‘Let us be careful and not 
step on the worm,’ said one 
boy. Then the other boy 
picked me up and carried me 



across the trail. He placed 
me in a safe place beneath a 
bush.” 

So, then the little worm 
started to climb the cliff. 

He could not climb very fast, 
but he climbed and climbed, 


STORIES OF THE RED CHILDREN. 


151 


For three days and three 
nights he climbed, till at last 
he reached the hoys. 

“I have come to guide yon 
down the cliff,” he said. 

Then the hoys followed him ; 
and, in three days more, they 
were all down beside the water 
again. 

Then the Red children 
thanked the little worm, and 
named the mountain. Mount 
Tutokaunla, which means 
the Mountain of the Worm. 



HOW THE SUMMER CAME. 


Once there were no changes 
ot seasons. 

It was always winter in the 
land of the Red children. 

The Red children had no 
food except the tlesh of 
animals. 

One day the Beaver called 
all the animals together. 


152 


STORIES OF TRE RFO CHILDREN. 


153 


‘‘We are never safe from 
these Red men,” he said. “Let 
ns make war upon them.” 

“Bnt what can we have for 
food if we do not eat yon?” the 
Red men said. 

“Can yon eat nothing hnt 
meat?” the animals asked. 

“We conld eat corn and 
frnits, if we had them. Bnt' 
they will not grow in this cold 
conntry. 

“Bring down snmmer to ns 
from the sky, and we will 
promise not to eat yon.” 


154 


STORIES OF THE RED CHILDREN. 


“We will try,” said all the 
animals. 

Then the Otter made a great 
leap towards the sky. 

He jumped a whole mile. 
But down he came head first 
and struck on a great rock. 

Then the Lynx tried. He 
jumped so high that he 
brushed the sky with the tips 
of his ears. 

Then the Wolf tried. He 
struck the sky so hard that he 
made a hole straight through 
the blue. 


STORIES OF THE RED CHILDREN. 


155 


“Now,” said a brave chief, 
“I will climb the wall of the 
skies. I will climb in through 
the hole the wolf has made.” 

Three whole days the chief 
climbed. He loved his people 
and wanted to do them good. 

Then he crept in through 
the hole in the sky. 

He saw a beautiful land. 
There was soft green grass. 
There were groves of beautiful 
trees. There were sweet flow- 
ers of every color. And the 
air was soft and warm. 



i 


4 


STORIES OF THE RED CHILDREN. 


157 


“I will carry the warmth 
down to my people,” the chief 
said, ‘‘though it cost me my 
life.” 

Then the chief saw three 
handsome golden cages. 

In the cages were birds. The 
birds had wings of gorgeous 
color. 

One bird was Summer, the 
other two were Spring and 
Autumn. 

The chief crept up to the 
cages and opened the doors. 


158 


STORIES OF THE RED CHILDREN. 


“Good birds,” he said, “go 
down to the people on the earth. 

“They are A^ery cold and sad 
without yon. They love yon 
and are waiting for yon to 
come.” 

Then the Antnmn bird crept 
ont of his cage. He looked 
down through the hole. 

“It is very beautiful down 
there,” he said, “let us go.” 

So he raised his great wings 
and flew down through the 
hole. 

Then the Spring bird fol- 


STORIES OF THE RED CHILDREN. 


159 


lowed. The Summer bird, too, 
made ready to fly. 

But the people in the world 
Above-the-Sky had heard the 
noise of Autumn’s wings. 

They rushed out from their 
homes. “The birds! the birds!” 
they cried; “the birds are fly- 
ing away!” 

Then they all rushed upon 
the summer bird. 

Already she was half 
through the opening in the 
the sky. 

They seized her by her wing. 


160 


STORIES OF THE RED CHILDREN. 


The great bird struggled, 
and the people held firm. 

At last the body of the bird 
parted. One half of the bird 
flew down to the home of the 
Red children. 

The other half the people 
put back in the cage. 

“Now, who has done this?” 
the people said, “let us find 
him. We will slay him! We 
will burn him!” 

Then they fell upon the 
brave chief who was just es- 
caping through the opening. 


STORIES OF THE RED CHILDREN. 


161 


“See! see! there he is!’' the 
people shouted ; and they drove 
their arrows alter him. 

On, on he ran down the wall 
of the sky. But the angry 
people soon overtook him. 

They shot their arrows at 
him again. And this time the 
arrows pinned him to the sky. 

“Make me prisoner, if you 
will,” the brave chief called, 
“I have carried warmth and 
sunshine to my people! And 
you can never take it away 
from them!” 


162 


STORIES OF THE RED CHILDREN. 


And so the brave chief 
stands, still pinned to the sky, 
even to this day. 

There is a star in each foot 
and in each hand. 

These are the shining arrows 
of the people Above-the-Sky. 

And when the Red children 
look up at the stars they say: 
“There is our brave chief who 
brought the summer.” 

And when the summer 
seems too brief, they say, “It 
is because one half of it is still 
in the land Above-the-Sky. 


rzQ 










1 * . . 


> .i 


x,i. 







I 






s . 


A 


t 





I 



